Latest news with #anti-racism
Telegraph
7 days ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
Getting on with police is white privilege, solicitors told
Getting along well with the police is an example of white privilege, solicitors have been told in new anti-racism guidance. The Law Society, which represents more than 200,000 solicitors in England and Wales, has published new advice to help legal professionals use 'more inclusive' language. Robert Jenrick, the shadow justice secretary, branded it 'dangerous' and has written to the Law Society calling for it to be withdrawn. The guidance said racial categorisation is based on white supremacy and 'was developed as an attempt to prove biological superiority and maintain dominance over others'. It also said a person who is 'non-racist', rather than 'anti-racist', is 'a bystander of the problem', and urged people to apologise if they 'get terminology wrong and cause offence'. The term 'ethnic minority' is discouraged, with 'minoritised ethnic', 'racially minoritised' or 'global majority' suggested instead. Solicitors are also instructed to 'accept and acknowledge that ethnicity is an integral part of a person's identity and treat it as such'. The guidance also listed examples of white privilege, which it described as 'the innate advantage white people have within society solely based on their race'. The examples included 'people that look like you are largely represented within media', 'you can easily find products which match your skin tone and hair type', and 'your history is a part of the curriculum'. It also listed 'you generally have a positive relationship with the police' as an example. Mr Jenrick said the guidance promoted 'dangerous ideas' and that the organisation should be 'colour-blind and merit-based'. He said it runs contrary to 'the principle of equal treatment' and 'seeks to divide people on the basis of race and ethnicity'. 'It is unacceptable for the Law Society to promote this kind of ideology, particularly as other legal bodies back away from these ideas,' Mr Jenrick said in a letter to Law Society president Richard Atkinson. 'I urge you to withdraw this guidance immediately.' The Law Society has been contacted for comment. It comes after a row over new guidance directing judges to consider the lives of offenders from ethnic minority and other backgrounds before sentencing. Opponents claimed the changes could lead to a 'two-tier justice system' in which people from minority groups are treated more leniently. The guidance, which the Sentencing Council argued would ensure courts had comprehensive information to decide on an appropriate punishment, was later abandoned after ministers tabled legislation to override it.
Telegraph
22-06-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Children in Need funds group that claims gender-critical views are racist
BBC Children in Need has helped fund a group that claims gender-critical beliefs are rooted in 'white supremacy'. Anti-Racist Cumbria has claimed that opposition to gender ideology – the idea that people can choose to become a man or woman – is rooted in 'patriarchy' and 'oppression'. The charity that works with local schools claimed that the views of JK Rowling and other gender-critical feminists are the result of 'white supremacy'. In a lengthy statement, the charity added that 'defining womanhood as 'biological' is dangerous' and can lead down a 'slippery slope of white supremacy thinking'. BBC Children in Need, which is independent of the BBC's leadership and funded by public donations, is currently helping to fund this charity. It will provide a £42,500 grant for a two-year period, topping up a previous £50,000 allocation, to launch a TikTok channel to share 'anti-racist educational resources' and news about its youth outreach work. 'Politically black' Children in Need is listed as a funder of Anti-Racist Cumbria in its most recent annual accounts. This work has included a youth club pitched at 'black and brown' youngsters, including those who are 'politically black'. Founded in 2020, Anti-Racist Cumbria also provides courses that 'promote anti-racism' in schools, and runs workshops with businesses covering issues such as 'white privilege' and 'understanding whiteness'. This work is supported financially by foundations, National Lottery funding, and Westmorland and Furness council, which in February raised council tax by 4.99 per cent. The charity moved on to the transgender debate in a lengthy criticism of gender-critical feminists following the Supreme Court ruling in April that made clear 'women' were legally defined by their biological sex. This followed a legal battle launched by campaign group For Women Scotland to challenge the Scottish Government's decision to count anyone 'living as a woman' in official statistics on the number of female board members. Anti-Racist Cumbria claimed following the Supreme Court decision: 'The activism of so-called 'gender-critical feminists', supported by the likes of JK Rowling and the Trump movement, will not stop here. 'The fight against trans rights does not exist in isolation, and although it is dressed up as 'women's rights', it's a direct result of patriarchy and white supremacy as systems of oppression.' The post also included an image of JK Rowling smoking a cigar 'on her superyacht', the charity claimed in a picture caption, while many 'transgender people have experienced homelessness'. The lengthy article about the gender ruling, on the 'resources' section of the charity's website, also touched on issues of women's safety, which it claimed were preludes to 'fascism'. 'The road to fascism' The charity shared an image of young female campaigners with the Women's Safety Initiative UK, which aims to 'expose the dangers of uncontrolled immigration' with regard to sexual assaults on women. Anti-Racist Cumbria stated on its website that the Women's Safety Initiative UK is raising concerns about foreign sex criminals, stating: 'The fight for women's rights is being used to hide the dark underbelly of not only transphobia, but racism too. 'It is not a stretch to say that the road that we are being driven down is the road to fascism.' Alka Sehgal Cuthbert, director of campaign group Don't Divide Us, has criticised the charity's ideological claims. She said: 'This is a perfect illustration of how racism has become unmoored from its original meaning. Accusing a person or organisation of being a racist or white supremacist used to be something we reserved for the BNP or the National Front. It used to mean something. 'Now it's been utterly diluted by activists, who use 'white supremacy' as a snarl because they can't defend their own arguments. BBC Children in Need should not be funding organisations that cheapen the meaning of racism.' BBC Children in Need said that the charity is 'independently governed and does not take a position on matters of public policy. None of the funding awarded by BBC Children in Need supports policy or campaigning activity'. It added: 'We are currently funding the Young Black Arctivists project for young black British people in Cumbria, to create and deliver educational resources that encourage unity across communities.' Anti-Racist Cumbria has provided training to staff at Wordsworth's former home of Dove Cottage, now a museum that is seeking to root out the poet's colonial past as revealed by the Telegraph.
Telegraph
14-06-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Scrap ‘two-tier' anti-racism guidance for police, say Tories
Police chiefs' 'two tier' guidance that tells officers to treat black and white suspects differently must be scrapped, the Tories have said. Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, has claimed the advice is 'morally indefensible' and would ' put the public at risk '. He has written to Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, urging her to back a Tory amendment to her crime and policing Bill, which would give the Government powers to order the withdrawal or rewriting of the guidance. The guidance declared police chiefs' commitment to 'racial equity' did not mean 'treating everyone the same or being colour blind'. Instead, they called for 'equality of policing outcomes' for different ethnic groups 'by responding to individuals and communities according to their specific needs, circumstances and experiences'. 'Community trauma' The report, setting out police chiefs' ' anti-racism commitment ', also stated officers must now 'consider cultural impact and community trauma when using their powers'. A home office spokesman said: 'Every police officer in our country swears an oath to uphold the law with 'fairness, integrity, diligence and impartiality', and there is no guidance from the National Police Chiefs' Council or anyone else which tells them to do anything different. In particular, it is categorically false that the police are told to apply the law differently to anyone based on their ethnicity.' But Mr Philp said the implication of the guidance was that offences by ethnic minorities should in some cases be ignored. 'The document explicitly says the police should not treat everyone 'the same' or be 'colour blind'. This is itself racist and enshrines two-tier policing in practice. It is morally indefensible and will put the public at risk,' he said. 'The police anti-racism commitment also talks about the police 'criminalising' people. This is completely absurd. People criminalise themselves by committing crimes and the police should do everything in their power to bring criminals to justice.' He said the Tory amendment to the crime and policing Bill would give the Home Secretary the power to amend or require the withdrawal of any code of practice issued by the College of Policing or any document issued by the National Police Chiefs' Council intended to direct policing practices. In his letter, Mr Philp said: 'Please confirm that you will ask the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) and the College of Policing to withdraw this racist and two-tier guidance and support our amendment to give you the power to override them if they refuse.' 'Without fear or favour' It follows a two-tier justice row over the sentencing council where Shabana Mahmood, the Justice Secretary, intervened to change the law to overturn its guidelines that she said could have given preferential treatment to defendants from ethnic minorities. When previously challenged over the police guidelines, Ms Cooper said the police already had to swear an oath to act impartially and use their powers 'without fear or favour'. Gavin Stephens, the chairman of the NPCC, said the commitment would mean more effective policing. 'People from black communities have the lowest levels of confidence in the police, are under-represented in our workforce and are more likely to experience police powers such as stop and search or use of force,' he said. 'This historic and ongoing mistrust between the police and black communities risks, for example, people not reporting things to the police if they are in trouble or not aiding our efforts to catch criminals. 'Explaining or reforming race disparities and addressing mistrust with black communities will mean we are more effective at fighting crime and protecting all communities.'
CBS News
11-06-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Miami Marlins join efforts to restore defaced Jackie Robinson and Minnie Miñoso mural in Overtown
The Miami Marlins are joining efforts to restore the defaced mural of baseball legends Jackie Robinson and Minnie Miñoso in Miami's Overtown neighborhood, which was marked with racist graffiti last week. City of Miami Chairwoman Christine King announced Wednesday that she along with the Marlins, Urgent, Inc., Omni Community Redevelopment Agency, Southeast Overtown/Park West Community Redevelopment Agency and other community activists will lead the restoration at Dorsey Park, where community leaders said a 7-year-old boy first discovered the vandalism last Sunday and asked his mother what the words and the Nazi symbols meant. Murals of baseball legends Minnie Miñoso, second from left, and Jackie Robinson, third from left, are covered with plywood after being defaced in Miami's Overtown neighborhood, Thursday, June 5, 2025, in Miami. Lynne Sladky / AP "This vile assault was an attack on our values, history, and community," King said in a statement. "We are actively working with law enforcement and the public to identify the individual(s) responsible for this intolerable act. However, even in the darkest hours, light finds its way to shine. This is a reminder and testament to the strength of our community, coming together to restore peace, beauty, and pride to this neighborhood." Police were investigating the incident but have not made any arrests. City workers have since partially covered the murals of Robinson and Miñoso, an Afro-Cuban player, with wooden boards. The murals are along a fence at Dorsey Park, where Negro League teams once played baseball. The Marlins' home ballpark loanDepot park is just a few miles from the park. "In light of the deeply troubling acts of vandalism at Dorsey Park, the Miami Marlins today proudly stand in solidarity with the City of Miami Chairwoman Christine King, and our local leaders in unequivocally condemning this hateful and racist act," said Marlins owner Bruce Sherman. "Dorsey Park is not only a landmark of historical and cultural significance in South Florida — it is a powerful symbol of resilience, pride, and the enduring contributions of trailblazers to the game of baseball." Robinson broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball when he signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947 to become the first Black player. Miñoso became the league's first Afro-Latino player and the first Black player for the Chicago White Sox. The murals have been displayed in the park since 2011 and are a collaboration between artists Kyle Holbrook and Kadir Nelson and various community groups.
The Guardian
01-06-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
Dining across the divide: ‘She said ‘woke' had gone too far'
Occupation Early retired primary headteacher Voting record A diehard Lib Dem, but will vote tactically and loves Labour's Cat Smith, who she says is a great local MP Amuse bouche She's a governor of two independent schools in Kazakhstan, one in its capital, Astana, and one in Almaty Occupation Geography lecturer Voting record Used to vote Labour, but was put off by their stance on the Palestinian cause and their attitude to the left. Now votes Green Amuse bouche Once, she and some flatmates made their own version of Findus Crispy Pancakes from scratch Emma She seemed very nice, very smiley. We were having a bit of banter outside straightaway. Sue The first two minutes were awkward, but once we had looked at the menu we didn't shut up. Emma We both had surf and turf. She ordered it and I had to ask the waitress how to use the tools to eat the lobster. It was delicious. Sue I had chocolate mousse for dessert, and Emma had raspberry and elderflower sorbet. It was beautiful; the whole place was gorgeous. Emma The main bone of contention was that she said 'woke' had gone too far. It was originally an African-American term that means being aware of structural racism. So to suggest it's gone too far is to suggest anti-racism has gone too far, that social justice has, which it obviously hasn't. It must be very frustrating for African Americans, that their language gets co-opted. It's important to remember who it belongs to and not let it be neutralised. Sue If by 'woke' you're talking about protected characteristics, then obviously I respect those; they are absolutely essential. But I feel it stifles free speech, and those who are marginalised become even more so. Emma Sue has worked in schools in a lot of really deprived communities. Her concern is that when you get this intellectual censoriousness of liberal identity politics, the people the left should be serving are excluded. Sue If you over-police and don't look at context, you won't have any idea where people are coming from; whether they might be receptive to changing their view. You have to really work to understand what it's like when you haven't got a voice. Somebody who hasn't had a privileged, middle-class education, who lives a hand-to-mouth existence – their reality is going to be polar opposite. Sue I bet Emma is an amazing lecturer. She speaks with such passion about the young people she's working with. And I was talking with equal passion about the children I've worked with – lack of school readiness is really striking. We had children whose socialisation, speech, potty training, just general physical strength, weren't where they should have been. They hadn't got the pincer grip needed to write because they'd used screens and simply swiped. Emma We're both quite anti social media; neither of us use it. We both think young people need to spend more time outside, and we've seen negative impacts in the cohorts we teach. Nowadays, students come to university and it will be their first time pushed into independence, very high stakes. I think it affects their happiness. They seem very stressed, and you shouldn't be stressed when you're 19 – you should be living your best life. Emma I work in the environment department at the university and I live in an eco-community, so all my friends and colleagues were saying: 'You've got to say this about net zero, you've got to say that.' And then I met Sue and she said: 'I've got an environmental science degree, I'm not against net zero.' Sue She thought I was going to be all 'Drill, baby, drill'. She said: 'Shall I tell you about my eco house?' And I said: 'Yes, please.' Emma I almost felt like I doing a Blind Date. We had loads of very personal conversations, and kept saying: 'This doesn't go in the paper.' We ended up going very deep. Sue We had so much in common. She's the type of person I would want to be friends with. She's absolutely authentic and I trusted her. Additional reporting: Kitty Drake Emma and Sue ate at Quite Simply French in Lancaster. Want to meet someone from across the divide? Find out how to take part
